Engineering for Change and Siemens Launch Design Challenge for Clean Water and Zero Hunger Technology Solutions

NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In 2015, the United Nations (U.N.) set 17 sustainable development goals aimed at ending poverty, protecting the planet, and driving peace and prosperity worldwide by 2030. While leaders have seen some progress, they’ve also made it clear: we aren’t on track, and time is running out. Calling for new partnerships to support government efforts, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said, “Science is our great ally in the efforts to achieve the goals.”

Today, Engineering for Change (E4C), in collaboration with global software company Siemens, has announced a new call to action for socially minded engineers and hardware innovators to address two of the U.N. sustainable development goals focused on zero hunger and clean water. Applications open on March 4, for Innovate for Impact: Siemens Design Challenge, a competition that gives individuals the opportunity to develop solutions to address fundamental human needs for clean water and adequate food supply. The winning solutions will be awarded with $10,000 each. Interested participants can learn more about the issues, access online training, review best practices, case studies in human centered design, and submission criteria for the Challenge at http://bit.ly/InnovateForImpact.

E4C will coordinate the application and evaluation process, share human-centered design principles and a variety of other tools and resources with applicants, while Siemens will provide free access to and training on cutting-edge technology tools for digital design and engineering, including Solid Edge software and a new co-creation platform developed with Siemens’ Mendix platform for low-code application development. Siemens software is widely used by the world’s leading companies to design, engineer and manufacture all types of products and infrastructure.

“Innovate for Impact: Siemens Design Challenge brings together the ingenuity of engineering communities focused on changing the world and the resources of a top global software company,” says E4C President Iana Aranda. “By applying human-centered design thinking and powerful digital technologies, engineers and other innovators will be well equipped to address the challenges of clean water and zero hunger and improve the quality of life around the world. We are grateful and fortunate for Siemens’ support in this vital endeavor, and excited to see the proposed solutions.”

“We are proud to partner with E4C to provide engineers with platforms to expand what’s humanly possible, creating new spaces to dream, innovate and develop technology to drive sustainable development goals,” says Siemens USA CEO Barbara Humpton. “Those who accept this challenge will get to use software and technology that have already reduced product development cycle times by half. But instead of speed to market, engineers can now focus on speed to society, delivering the solutions needed to advance a more equal world in time for 2030.”

The co-creation platform and application for the challenge open on March 4, World Engineering Day for Sustainable Development. During the “plan and learn” pre-application phase of the challenge, prospective applicants can review and consider participation in one of two tracks: zero hunger and clean water. They can either design a postharvest off-grid preservation technology to reduce farm-to-table food loss in lower resource settings that lack electricity. Or, applicants may choose to design a very low-cost, energy-efficient, scalable technology for desalinating brackish water.

Once they have decided on a track, familiarized themselves with available resources, and submitted an application with their proposed solution, accepted applicants will enter the design phase of the challenge. The deadline for applications is Friday, April 3, 2020. Over the course of the challenge, participants will be asked to:

Submit a 30-second video introducing their team and product concept

Research and explore the needs of their end user

Design their concept in 3D CAD software

Iterate their design based on their research and provide justification for decisions

Simulate how their product works

Submit a video pitching their product concept

Winners will be announced in July 2020. For more information about Innovate for Impact: Siemens Design Challenge, please visit http://bit.ly/InnovateForImpact

Engineering for Change (E4C) is a knowledge organization dedicated to preparing, educating and activating the international engineering workforce to improve the quality of life of underserved communities worldwide. E4C provides access to resources, talent and platforms that accelerate the development of impactful solutions and infuse engineering rigor into global development. Our diverse, global community of over 1 million people is comprised of engineers, technologists, social entrepreneurs and development practitioners.

E4C was founded by ASME, IEEE and Engineers Without Borders-USA and is now supported by a variety of partners and sponsors ranging from industry, academia, non-profits and multilateral organizations.

About Siemens USA

Siemens Corporation is a U.S. subsidiary of Siemens AG, a global powerhouse focusing on the areas of power generation and distribution, intelligent infrastructure for buildings and distributed energy systems, and automation and digitalization in the process and manufacturing industries. Through the separately managed company Siemens Mobility, a leading supplier of smart mobility solutions for rail and road transport, Siemens is shaping the world market for passenger and freight services. Due to its majority stakes in the publicly listed companies Siemens Healthineers AG and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Siemens is also a world-leading supplier of medical technology and digital healthcare services as well as environmentally friendly solutions for onshore and offshore wind power generation. For more than 160 years, the company has innovated and invented technologies to support American industry spanning manufacturing, energy, healthcare and infrastructure. In fiscal 2018, Siemens USA reported revenue of $23.7 billion, including $5.0 billion in exports, and employs approximately 50,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/siemensUSA